Easy Traditional Cantonese Mooncakes with the Airfryer

We are excited to share an easy and yummy traditional mooncake recipe that can be done with the magnificent airfryer!

If you own one of these gadgets, take heart that airfyers can do more than just… frying! Bake cakes, muffins, or even bread! There are so many brands of airfryers available, so take your time to shop for one that suits your needs and matches your budget.

And since the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Mooncake Festival, is almost a month away – mark 27 Sept on your calendars, folks! – how about some homemade mooncakes to share with your family? :)

I enjoy baking traditional food items. Items I have done on the airfryer include Chinese New Year almond cookies (recipe here) and peanut cookies (recipe here).

With Mooncake Festival coming up next month, I decided to bake mooncakes ahead of time in the airfryer for fun first. Call me a traditionalist, but while I like to try the snowskin ones with interesting flavours (e.g. durian, cempadek, etc), I still love them best in the most basic form – white lotus paste without egg yolk! :) Nevertheless, once you have mastered the traditional mooncakes, snowskin mooncakes should be no-problem for you.

Below is the no-lard recipe, adapted for the airfryer. Feel free to use other types of fillings – red bean, durian etc. It’s actually a very easy recipe; don’t be deceived by its looks. Have fun!

Traditional Cantonese Mooncakes

Yield: 15 mini mooncakes, 50g each

Ingredients

(A) Skin

120g top/ cake flour*(all purpose flour is ok)

80g golden syrup*

3/4 tsp alkaline water* (this helps to make the dough more stretchable and give the skin the golden-brown colour)

2. In another bowl, sieve the flour and make a well in the centre. Pour #1 into the sifted flour.

Mix well and marry them together, and we’re a step closer to seeing those mooncakes!

3. Combine the mixture with a spatula until it forms a soft dough. Wrap with cling wrap and place it in the fridge to rest overnight. This step is known as 醒面.

Tip: The longer you let the dough rest, the easier it will be to wrap the fillings later.

Time to rest the dough!

4. The next day, divide the dough into 15g pieces. For this recipe, you will get 15 pieces of them, with some leftover for “patching” later – if needed.

Remove from fridge and continue with these dough balls.

5. Place each dough ball between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper. Press to flatten it and roll out thinly into a flat circle.

6. Next, make 15 balls of lotus fillings, each 33g. If you are adding melon seeds, add them together with the lotus fillings balls.

7. Wrap the flattened dough around the filling and shape it into a ball. Ensure that there are no exposed parts.

Do you see the mooncake taking form?

8. Place the mooncake balls into mooncake mould plunger and ensure that you press hard so that the impression can be properly made (this is my favourite part!). Release the plunger and gently place them onto a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Spray with water to prevent the mooncakes from cracking during baking later.

THERE! Those uncooked mooncakes!

9. Preheat the airfryer at 160 degrees for 5 min. Bake the mooncakes at 160 degrees for 10 min.

Let’s get baking, babies!

10. Meanwhile, prepare the egg wash by mixing 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp water. Mix well and pass through a sieve.

11. Remove from airfryer and leave to cool for 15 min (do not skip this step). Glaze the top of your mooncakes thinly and evenly with the egg wash.

12. Return to airfryer. Lower to 150 degrees and continue to bake for another 6 – 8 min until golden brown.

Piping hot, and fresh from the airfryer!

13. Cool the mooncakes completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 – 3 days. This allows the mooncakes to 回油, so that the skin can produce a glossy and shiny surface and for the flavours to fully develop.

Tip: If your kitchen is too warm, you can put it in the fridge sooner.

Hello there, mooncakes!

14. After 3 days, you will find that the mooncakes’ surface will turn glossy. They are now ready. Serve with hot Chinese tea and enjoy!! You can store the mooncakes in the fridge for up to a week.

Time to enjoy these pretty mooncakes with the family!

Thank you, Janet, for sharing this lovely recipe – just in time to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with our families! The original article can be found here.

Did you try baking your own mooncakes with your airfryer? Share with us your experience too!

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Fueled by a secret obsession in being a writer. Love discovering new things & learning new stuff. Decidedly inquisitive. Interests: Writing. Beauty. Fashion. Photography. The Beautiful Things in Life & More.
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